Blogpost

How Security Guards Keep Parking Garages Safe

Uniformed-Guard

Parking garages are one of the most important places to have adequate security. Especially at night, people are vulnerable to assault or theft when entering and leaving their cars. Cars themselves are also vulnerable to break-ins or theft. Taking the right precautions is essential to keeping your business or residential garage safe.

Fortunately, a few simple measures can make a big difference.

Crime Prevention

The primary purpose of security in a parking lot is to prevent crime. Controlling the entrance and exits of parking facilities is a vital part of crime prevention. If you can stop potential troublemakers from entering the facility, it will be much easier to keep people and property safe. Many security guards locate themselves by the entrance espsecially night shift guards, where it is easy to see who is coming and going, for this reason. Crimes occur when there is an opportunity. Adequate prevention measures significantly lower the opportunity for criminals to strike.

A large part of prevention is deterrence. A clearly marked Ranger Guard patrol car, prominently positioned in the parking lot can let potential criminals know that security is present and monitoring the situation. If multiple sites are being monitored, a patrol car visiting regularly with a blue light displayed on the top can make a big difference.

Highly visible security doesn’t just deter criminals. It also reassures customers that they are being looked after, and that their property and person will be protected while at your parking facility. This is very important, especially for office buildings where employees may have to work late regularly. Knowing your company has a full time security officer on watch makes it a lot more comfortable leaving the office at 12:40 AM.

Technology

A conventional security guard can be significantly strengthened by technology. Surveillance cameras allow a single guard to monitor a large facility from a central location. They also record footage to help catch a criminal in the event that something happens. In commercial parking lots, which often have multiple levels and different areas out of line of sight, a full surveillance system is necessary. Locating the guard in a central control room equipped with monitors so they can see everywhere on the premises is essential. Many businesses locate that control room at the front, so the guard is also able to control entrances and exits. This makes the most sense where a parking garage has one entrance with a gate the guard can seal if needed.

Video surveillance can also help law enforcement make an arrest if something does happen. This is especially true in cases where someone has been attacked. A charge of aggravated assault is much easier to prove when the footage of the incident is readily available, with time stamps.

Technology also helps with differentiation. Not everyone needs to be vetted to the same degree. License plate recognition can be added to a video monitoring system to enable approved visitors to pass through smoothly. In facilities such as private members clubs or places of worship, regulars do not want to deal with being stopped or punching in a code to get through a gate. A technological solution lets you wave them through, while saving the security measures for strangers.

Ranger Guard extends monitoring from parking lots to the guards themselves. Ranger Guard’s cutting edge monitoring system enables clients to receive updates in real time about the status on the ground of their business. We want you to be able to see where our officer is and what their patrol routes are. Peace of mind is everything in security, and we believe knowledge about what is really going on can give you that serenity.

The Power of Personnel

Effective security measures require effective security guards. Ranger Guard security ensures all staff are not only trained to handle any dangerous situation, but also to deal appropriately with the public. In a car park a guard is typically the only point of contact a customer has with the business in charge of the car park. They will face questions such such as directions, instructions on how to pay, and any concerns over technical issues like malfunctioning lights. A good guard needs to be able to handle such questions with professionalism and courtesy while keeping an eye out for any dangers.

Ranger Guard officers are all trained in dealing with the public. Maintaining a professional demeanor at all times, keeping a neat uniform and presentation while on duty and communicating with courtesy are all taken very seriously. Our strict code of conduct ensures high quality standards are upheld every shift.

Parking facilities need security. With a proper structure in place, people can drive safe and feel safe doing it.